After taking my grandmother around to hundreds of garage sales when I was a teen, I began having sales when I was married. Here are some of my tips:
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Here are some tips to have a great garage sale. Pick the right date, the first and fifteenth are when people receive their social security checks and/or pay checks.
I know with all the yard sales this time of year, many people are buying second hand and giving new life to their finds. When pricing items, many types of pricing elements are hard to remove and leave sticky residue.
When you are looking for something in particular at yard sales and don't see it, just ask. I have found that sellers are "motivated to sell" once they have started and will sometimes go into the house and bring out the item you are looking for.
When having a garage sale, set out a few empty laundry baskets for your shoppers to grab and fill up. Makes it much easier for them to shop and also, they will more than likely buy more because they have an easy way of carrying around they items.
I just had a yard sale this past weekend and tried several new things that I thought may be helpful to others looking for yard sale ideas.
I have been to and I have had many yard sales and I have noticed a few things that would affect how well a yard sale pans out.
The yard sale season has begun in the area where I live. I have already purchased many items this year that were priced with either "store-bought" price stickers or purchased labels with the price hand-written.
Spring is the time when we all start thinking about Garage or Yard Sales again. It is a good way to make some extra money and get rid of extra items. Garage Sales can be fun but are time consuming and can be hard work. Good planning can help you have a successful sale.
When organizing I always find things to sell in my annual garage sale. I put these items in boxes labeled by price ($1, $5, etc.) This saves a lot of time later when I actually price the items just before the sale.
"The signs of the season are here: "Yard Sale, Garage Sale, Moving Sale, Estate Sale." It's time to clear out the old and the unwanted and, for some of us, a time to find new treasures. Television programs that show people picking up pots or paintings for a few dollars and selling them for hundreds or thousands can bring out the spirit of adventure in a lot of us. Especially for these folks, the weekend treasure hunt season is on!"
Get boxes NOW and start the year off right, by decluttering your home, closets and garage. You can also price items at the same time. You will be ready in the spring for a great Garage/Yard Sale. You can do a little at a time.
Bag Bargains is the quickest and easiest way to accomplish reducing and make a little money, too. We have had great success with all the little items that accumulate in junk drawers, etc.
During your yard sale, play soothing, classical music. Your customers will browse longer and hopefully buy more. Playing loud, get-up-and-go music will have them leaving sooner. By Anna
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Here are garage sale tips shared by the ThriftyFun community.
Remember there are garage sale prices. I have been to garage sales where I wondered if the people really wanted to SELL their stuff, because everything was priced ridiculously high. (And it didn't move, of course.) People go to garage sales for deals. Also, I don't like to price things, because it give you more lee way to haggle. This is especially good at the end of the day when you just want to get RID of everything. (Also a good time to snap up bargains, if you are on the buyer side. I had a woman tell me to take away an oak cabinet for free, because she just didn't want to deal with it after the sale!) I don't know about nickel and dime pricing things - because around here if you do you can sell a lot of little stuff...
I do price things for a quarter, and sometimes a dime. When I had kids, I used to let them buy stuff, and the quarter items were just the thing. They often wanted to get something at every sale, and so cute mugs, little toys, small ornaments priced at 25 cents were just in their price range. You can then offer them at group deals of 5 for $1 (or 6 or 7), and then people will spend more, and take more!- because they are getting a deal.
The "whole box for $2 " is good too, especially near the end of the sale, but do be ready to sell just one thing out of the box, if that is what people want. I have often NOT bought a small item because I felt that I was going to be forced to carry off a whole box of stuff that I didn't want.
Can I just add something that I don't think people really think about. I'm an avid yard/garage saler. I am out there every weekend looking for bargains and have been inside many garages, porches, basements...etc. One thing that puts me right off a sale is a stinky garage/basement or stinky clothing. I don't think people who are having the sale take notice to the odors around them and their things.
I entered a garage a few weekends ago and had to quickly exit as the entire garage smelled of dog urine. It was strong and uncomfortable to be in. I noticed others entering and leaving quickly too. So I wasn't the only one. This wasn't the first time. I've been in musty moldy basement sales too. It's very off putting and I often will not purchase anything from these sales for fear the smell may be absorbed into the items.
Clothing is often stored in boxes and trash bags leaving them smell strange too. I once got $10.00 worth of infant clothing home only to have to throw it all away due to a strange smell that wouldn't wash out, obviously from the container they were stored in.
So if your planning a sale, take notice of any foul smells your garage may have. Sniff your stored clothing too, don't just check for stains, check for odors as well.
RUDE PEOPLE: Several years back we were moving to a much smaller home & had to sell everything we owned so we had 3 HUGE garage sales to do this. We lived in a middle to upper-middle class neighborhood & what surprised me the most were the totally rude people. Be careful not to get bullied by people like these. For example, I was selling a ruby-type glass tumbler & this gal asked me if I had another one, so I said I'd go & have a look. Well, unbeknownst to me she followed me into my house & into the kitchen & started going through my cupboards! I had the hardest time getting her to leave because she all of a sudden pretended to not speak very good English.
Another rude behavior was people getting mad & angry about prices (I'm an avid garage-saler & thrift-shopper so I know how to price...very low!). Some of my finer pieces of furniture were marked at $20 - $30 & even though they were marked people would get downright angry that I wouldn't sell them for five dollars. Just keep a happy attitude & realize that most people are super-friendly & wonderful. Just keep smiling!
Lastly, mark things up a tiny bit. People expect to haggle. If you want $1 for something then ask $1.50, if you want $20 for something then ask $25. If you want a dime for something then ask for a quarter (I disagree with #4, people love to buy things for a quarter!). Also have a box marked "FREE" for some of the things you just want to get rid off. You may add to it towards the end of the sale.
If you run an ad in your local paper or on Craig's List make sure you post "No sales before 9:AM (or whatever) or you'll have the early birds knocking on your door before you're ready. Usually these early birds are people who make their livings re-selling good deals they find.
Once I was online and discovered some funny amusing stories that actually occurred at garage sales. Is there anyway we can make a spot here on Thriftyfun for each member to post their funny stories. I would really enjoy reading these and perhaps posting some. Thanks.
By Carol from Waynesboro, GA
Editors Note: Please post your garage sale anecdotes below.
I have tons of kids stuff that I would love to clear out. I have no idea how to have a yard sale. I have never really been to a yard sale, but would love to get something for all our old and unneeded items. Can anyone help a first timer get started?
By Trisha S.
HI, I am getting ready to have my first garage sale in the middle of next month. Anyone have any tips to make it a success? I have a bunch of reasonably good stuff that I would like to turn into some cash to help fund some camping trips we want to go on this summer.
Have your sale the first week of the month. That is when Social Security and Pension and Welfare checks are received. Weekends are best. Mark everything . Have someone help you with customers. have plenty of change. One time my first customer had a $20.00 bill. Keep better items close by, there are even shoplifters at garage sales.
Here are a few articles from our archive on this subject:
Gearing Up for Garage Sales
By Fisher Swanson and Susan Sanders-Kinzel
Thinking about going to or having a garage sale? Here's step by step instructions for buying or selling.
www.thriftyfun.com/
Garage or Yard Sale Tips
By Fisher Swanson and Susan Sanders-Kinzel
Spring is the time when we all start thinking about Garage or Yard Sales again. It is a good way to make some extra money and get rid of extra items. Garage Sales can be fun but are time consuming and can be hard work. Good planning can help you have a successful sale.
www.thriftyfun.com/
Selling Used Furniture
By Gary Foreman
We're helping Dad to clean out his home and we need help to price 3 rooms of Danish modern furniture for sale: vintage 1962, excellent condition, dining room table with leaf, 4 chairs and large hutch; 2 bedroom sets (1 double bed, nightstand and mirrored dresser and 1 single bed and mirrored dresser--both with bookcase headboards!). We hate to part with this furniture and want it to go to a good home. Can you suggest how we can find out it's worth? Thanks.
Susan & Larry
www.thriftyfun.com/
Profiting from Usable Clothing
If you don't have time for a garage sale, are there any other ways to profit from usable clothing? This could include online sites for selling or any other good ideas.
www.thriftyfun.com/
Garage Sale Success: Tips for Having a Worry-free and Profitable Sale
By Kim Danger
If you're like most Americans, you have lots of stuff. We are a country of consumers. We buy, buy, buy, and most of it ends up in boxes in our closets and basements. Unfortunately, we don't clear out our house as much as we clutter it up. To avoid the pack-rat syndrome, consider having a garage sale. A garage sale is a great way to get rid of unwanted junk, plus make some money. Here are some tips to help make your sale a success:
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My Sis & Brother-in-Law held huge annual garage sales. He's quite a character and would play the theme music to the old tv show, 'Bonanza'. When someone would offer a very low price, he'd just reply that they could come back after the sale, bring a beer, and they'd negotiate. Brightly colored signs put up VERY early, easy to read - simple - arrows (like follow the errows) works. Be sure to take them down right away, and donate anything unsold for tax purposes. Don't panic - It's a day-long task, but it can be lots of fun. Beware of people wanting to use your bathroom - you mignt not notice what they are really doing - just a tidbit of info (say your dog won't allow anyone into your home).
If you have never had a yard sale ... visit other yard sales and get an idea of what things normally sell for. You may be surprised!
So many times, people have a feeling they are going to make a killing, I always price my items based on what I would pay at a yard sale! I generally sell most of my items ... I must be doing something right. Remember there are not too many fools around that are going to pay high prices at a yard sale.
WE have been doing yard sales every year since I was a kid. Several times a year we would all pitch together for one sale (aunts, uncles, cousins) and mark our own items with our initials. That can be a hassle at times, but it is still fun.
Find out if you are required to have a license for a sale in your city. Some come with an ad in the newspaper, signs, etc. Also check with your local newspaper if the city does not offer those free items. If you buy an ad they give you free signs. Our newspaper gives you several signs and a few sheets of price stickers with your ad.
Make signs large enough to read, but not so large it impairs traffic from seeing around them. Make your print large enough that it can be seen or followed from a car following your signs. ALWAYS be sure to take your signs down. In our town they fine you for not taking them down.
Price your items to sell. You will rarely get out of them what you paid. I have watched that new show, "Clean Sweep" and have learned a lot. Antique, vintage, expensive items, etc. can usually be priced by looking up similar items on ebay and go off of that. Maybe even print it off to tape on or near your item so that buyers can see that this item is going for that price on ebay. You can always say, "Hey if I dont sell it here I can put it on ebay".
If you have your sale posted as starting at 8 a.m., you are guaranteed to have "professional yard salers" waiting at 7 to watch you set up. Some will ask to shop. It is up to you, but be prepared.
Have lot's of change, but don't keep it all in your change box. Keep a lot of it inside your door in an inconspicuous place that you can get to easily without having to take your eyes off of your sale.
If you have small toys like the McDonalds toys or toy sets that go together, invest in gallon or sandwich ziplocks. You can get the store brands very cheap. I place items in the bag and seal the bag with clear tape. This prevents them from being opened and lost. Put a price on each bag.
Clothing is the worst to have to price, but if you have prices from 10 cents to $5 they could get mixed up. I have gone to sales where they used color dots to mark the items and then you had to track down their price scale as to which dot went to what price. Some use boxes and mark each box, but it is so hard to go through and find things without dumping it all out and more expensive items can get mixed in with less expensive ones. And this myth that you can stack them on a table and they stay there neatly is a true myth. ha ha You are going to have people like the tazmanian devil come in there and unfold every item and set it aside to look at the next and not put it back. If you are able to use a clothing rack, a closet rod from your closet in your house hung by wire or string, etc. Or if you have a yard with a chain link fence you can hang them there. If you hang the clothes I would reccomend getting wire hangers. People will fight you for yours at your sale. One or two isn't a bid deal, but it adds up if you keep letting them go. You can buy metal hangers at most secondhand stores. They rarely use them any more and will bundle them and sell the bundles for 25 cents or so.
For clothing you can use a quilters gun and cut your own pricetags from posterboard. This prevents stickers from falling off or being switched. You can also use a stapler and staple the tags into the tag on the back of the item if it is a material that could be ruined by stapling it.
If you don't have enough tables, use boxes turned upside down or lay down a plastic tarp, tablecloth or sheet to lay items on. For some it is hard to bend down and look, but for others it is nice they don't have to worry about knocking things over.
If you have items that you no longer want that don't sell at the sale, you can call Salvation Army, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, etc. and they can come pick those up from you. Sometimes you can call them ahead of time and set up a pick-up time for the evening after your sale or the following morning. They do this for free as you are donating to their organization.
If you have sets of items, you may want to find large clear trash bags or tape them together so that they do not get separated or pieces lost. The downside to tape is that the sun melts the sticky stuff onto it.
If you have larger items that others can't see, like furniture, tires, etc. Make a big poster or two and post them near where you sit with your money box or in an area where it is seen well. I have seen sales have an easel or childs chalkboard stand at the end of their driveway right in the center so that you saw it right off the bat. This kept cars from trying to block the driveway as well. Be sure that if you are using furniture like tables or coffee tables or your easel for the sign, to place tape on it saying "NOT FOR SALE".
This is a page about preparing for a garage sale. A garage sale is a fantastic way to get rid of unused items and make a little extra money. Planning your garage sale well helps ensure it's success.
There are a number of creative ways to hang or layout clothes so that your prospective yard sale buyers can easily see them. This is a page about displaying clothes at yard sale.
Shopping garage sales can result in some useful and unique finds. This is a page about garage sale finds.
Despite the lower prices that you can typically find by shopping yard sales, sometimes unethical customers will attempt to swap prices on items to get even better deals. This is a page about preventing customers from changing prices at a garage sale.
